


Second Chances

by ScarletCorvid



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 18:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6621292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletCorvid/pseuds/ScarletCorvid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Doggett takes advantage of a second chance after the events of 'Audrey Pauley.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Chances

Sometimes in life there are second chances. 

John Doggett pondered this as he sat in his truck outside his partner's flat. Three nights ago he had come within a hair's breadth of losing his best friend. No, Monica was more than that...she was his soul mate. He was more sure of it now then ever. Yet still he couldn't tell her how he felt. 

Audrey had been right. John loved Monica. The feelings had grown everyday since they had been reunited on The X-Files. She was the last thing he thought about before going to sleep and the first thing he thought of when he rose again in the morning. He looked forward every day to being with her in that basement office. Even though the cases often questioned his sensibilities, he enjoyed having her at his side in the field. 

He had almost lost all of that. 

There had been long, horrible hours at her bedside, watching her hang in the balance between life and death. Though he hadn't prayed in years, he prayed again and again for a second chance to tell her just how much she meant to him. And through nothing short of a miracle, his prayers had been answered. 

John had been given a second chance, but for the second time he was making the exact same mistake. Tonight was just like the night of Monica's accident. He had let her walk away without admitting his feelings to her. He had suppressed the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her. And why? 

Luke's death had broken him. He experienced more hurt when his son died than he ever thought it was possible to feel. He couldn't bear to experience it again. So he had shut himself off from loving. First it destroyed his marriage, and then it destroyed the relationship he had with Monica afterwards. It was something he'd always regretted, and life had brought them back together again, giving him a chance to repent. A chance he hadn't made good on, not yet. And maybe not ever.

Monica said she could never see him disappointing anyone, but she had been wrong. He disappointed himself all the time. John never thought of himself as a coward, but now he realized he was one. This last thought struck a bitter note inside of him. There was only one way he could remedy it, but he was still afraid to let go and allow himself to love again. 

Except he already did love again. 

John climbed back out of his truck and returned to Monica's doorstep. He hesitated a moment before knocking. The doctor said she needed her rest, but it couldn't wait any longer. Second chances were far and few between. You could never count on getting one. And who had ever heard of a third chance?

"John?" Monica opened the door, surprise obvious in her voice. 

"Monica, I - You need anything?" 

She smiled that sweet smile that made him weak in the knees. "No, I'll be fine, John." 

The words stuck in his throat. An awkward silence fell upon the pair as he stood there, kicking himself for not just coming out and saying it. Then John decided maybe actions would be better then words. He took two steps forward and pressed his lips softly to hers.

Monica returned the kiss, and he felt himself delve into it further. He put as much passion into it as he could, trying to tell her what he felt without the words that seemed to fail him time and again. His arms wrapped around her and he held her close. The way he'd wanted to so many times in the past. 

Now that he had, he was never going to let her go again.


End file.
